The Beginning of Something Beautiful?
by MissAmyR92
Summary: Was previously 'Truth Hurts.' Gemma Osbourne's back in Sun Hill, and someone's caught her eye.
1. Chapter 1

**Truth Hurts**

**Hi all, this contains hints of a female/female relationship so if it's not your thing then its time to leave! Please R&R.**

"Gemma who?"

"Osbourne. Smashing little officer she was. I doubt these rumours are true though. That incident, shall we say, finished her." Tony Stamp sighed.

"I hope they're true, we're in desperate need of some new eye candy around here," Nate smirked.

"Oh, she's way out of your league, son." Roger replied as he and Tony chuckled.

"Well I'll charm her, I'll soon get her on side."

"Get who on side?" Smithy asked, entering the locker room.

"Apparently Gemma Osbourne's back, Nate reckons he can use his "charm" to make a play for her." Tony explained as the two men grinned.

"Good luck with that mate!" he replied, heading to the briefing room.

As he entered the briefing room, Smithy noticed that everyone was gathered round, chatting about the possible reasons that they had all been brought together like this.

"You don't think the DCI could be retiring, do you?" Grace suggested.

"Jack Meadows? Retire? He'll be carried out of this place in a wooden box!" Jo Masters replied. "Hopefully happy chappy Neil's leaving us, now that would be a shame." she laughed.

"Ok everyone, listen up. I assume you're all wondering why you're here. Don't panic, no one's leaving." Jo sighed as Grace held back a smile. "I'd like to announce that we have a new member of the team joining us today. Now some of you may remember her as a PC, and some of you may also remember the reason that she left Sun Hill." Mickey amongst others bowed his head sadly. "But she's bravely decided to put the past behind her and she's now a DC, back in Sun Hill where she belongs. DC Gemma Osbourne."

Everyone clapped as Jo's eyes met Gemma's for the first time and she felt an instant connection with the beautiful detective in front of her.

"Mickey...does she bat for my team?" Jo asked, eyes fixed on Gemma.

"Yeah," Mickey noticed the way Jo was practically undressing her with her eyes. "And no ring on her finger. She's all yours, Jo." he grinned as Jo snapped out of her trance.

"I don't believe we've met." Jo said, finding Gemma in the canteen. "I'm Jo. Jo Masters." She continued, reaching to shake her hand, her heart beating ten to the dozen.

"You're a Northerner an' all!" Gemma laughed. "I'm Gemma Osbourne, as I'm sure you know. Nice to meet you, babe."

_She called me babe! That's got to be a first move surely?!_

"So do you fancy a coffee?" Jo blurted, her hand still entwined with Gemma's.

"I'd love to." Gemma noticed the spark of lust between them as she relished the feel of Jo's hand in hers.

"So tell me, why did you come back to Sun Hill?"

"Oh you know, change of scenery. Looking to meet new people, friends and that." Gemma hinted, feeling the spark of attraction between them.

"And that? Who are 'and that' exactly?" Jo flirted, hoping she hadn't misread the signals.

"Yeah, maybe a girlfriend too." Gemma played along.

"What's your type?" Jo whispered, leaning closer.

"Tall, slim, gorgeous..."

"Oh really? Anyone in mind?"

"Maybe..." Gemma replied, meeting Jo's eyes and confirming her thoughts.

A few hours later, the ladies were paired up for an OBBO, one which so far had proven to be dull and uneventful, so Gemma and Jo engaged in small talk... rather flirtatious small talk.

"So... a bottle of wine and a meal for one tonight?" Gemma smirked.

"What makes you say that?" Jo replied, acting mock offended. "Does my face scream single?"

"Well..." Gemma laughed. "It's the same for me. I'm sick of it really."

"I know how you feel darling." Jo agreed.

"Do you address all your colleagues like that?"

"Only the special ones." Jo flirted wildly.

"Oh so am I special?" Gemma whispered huskily.

"What do you think?" Jo replied equally, exchanging a look of lust with her gorgeous colleague, just as their suspect left his house.

"Just my luck." Jo muttered as Gemma giggled.

"It's been an...interesting day, wouldn't you say?" Jo asked, leaving the station at the end of her shift, noticing Gemma by her car.

"Yeah, you could say that. Are you off home to your meal for one then?" she smirked.

"Me? No, I've got a harem of women waiting for me!" The ladies laughed.

"You don't... fancy a drink do you?" Gemma hesitated, unsure whether she was being too forward.

"Well you're not exactly backwards in coming forwards are you?" Jo laughed. "I wouldn't mind a drink as it happens. You're buying though." they grinned.

A few drinks later and the ladies were deep in conversation.

"Gosh, that's awful. I'm sorry." Jo sympathised.

"I've been trying to put it behind me, rebuild my life. You know how it is." she replied vaguely.

"Yeah, yeah. You're brave, you are. I couldn't do that." Jo whispered in reply, looking deep into Gemma's eyes, as if trying to read her thoughts.

"I'm not brave, Jo. I'm just rediscovering my love of catching criminals." She smiled, attempting to lighten the situation.

"Ooh yes, there's nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of snatching the baddies is there?" Jo replied with an equally humourous remark.

"It's getting on a bit now and I've got an early start, I'd best be off." Gemma rose from the table as Jo did the same.

"Yeah, me an' all."

"I haven't had much, I'll take you home if you like." Gemma offered, simply wanting to enjoy Jo's company a little longer.

"I wouldn't want to put you out."

"Hey no, it'd be my pleasure." Gemma hinted, resuming the flirty banter.

"Oh, would it now?" Jo replied, nearing Gemma, holding her gaze.

"Yeah. There's nothing I'd like more." The women became closer, until their lips were almost touching. Gemma pulled away unexpectedly, composing herself.

"Um... that's go yeah?" She stuttered.

"I'll get a cab." Jo replied quietly, walking away.

"Jo please, don't be like that." Gemma followed.

"I thought you wanted me as much as I want you? I've let you walk all over me, haven't I?" Jo exclaimed.

"No! I just... need time."

"Well you let me know what you're doing then. Night Gemma." Jo proceeded to the taxi rank.

"Jo! Jo, please." Gemma shouted after the beautiful woman, but she had already hailed a taxi and was leaving...leaving her...for good?

Please let me know if I should continue. Amy x


	2. Chapter 2

**I apologise that it has taken me so long to update this, reality has a habit of rearing its ugly head when I least want it to! Many thanks to all the lovely reviews I received from , Contentious Infatuation, Syd, Kerry Anne Smith, cougaredainme, Pink Lemons, RoseCullen6 and A for Antechinus. **

**Just another warning that this story does include hints of femslash.**

* * *

**All views and reviews are much appreciated!**

Jo Masters arrived at Sun Hill station a good twenty minutes before she was due to begin her shift. The raven haired detective was very rarely at work quite so early, in fact she couldn't recall the last time she had been in the vicinity of CID a mere five minutes before her shift started.

Jo wasn't even sure if last night at the pub had happened, or whether the scene was a figment of her imagination. It happened so quickly that it seemed surreal. There were so many questions that Jo craved an answer to. Was Gemma truly interested in her or was she just flirting? Maybe she was leading her on unintentionally? Or did she genuinely need more time?

Jo's reverie was interrupted by the sound of DI Nixon's voice floating across the office.

"Morning, Jo," she smiled. "Oh, by the way, there's a meeting in the briefing room in fifteen minutes."

"Morning Guv, can I ask what about?"

"It's to do with that case you were working on yesterday with Gemma. That reminds me, can you tell her about the meeting when she turns up please?"

Jo's heart sank. She didn't know if she could take another day working with her fellow DC after last night.

"Yeah, sure." she replied reluctantly.

As if on cue, Gemma Osbourne entered CID, a smile plastered on her face as she greeted her colleagues, which Jo was almost certain was false.

"Jo, I am sorry. I..."

"It's fine." Jo interrupted the detective mid sentence, preferring to keep her private life exactly that. "By the way, you're wanted in the briefing room at quarter past." Both women blushed at the innuendo Jo had accidentally used.

"Right, er...thanks." Gemma shot her colleague a brief smile, heading towards her desk.

Jo cursed under her breath at the realisation of what she had implied, feeling sure she had ruined any chance that she might have had with the beautiful blonde. The buxom detective mentally kicked herself, wishing that her foot-in-mouth disease hadn't chosen to rear its ugly head right at that moment.

The fifteen minutes passed far too quickly for Jo's liking and she found herself sat in one of the seats in the briefing room, ready for an bombardment of instructions from her superior.

"Jo, Gemma. Good work on the OBBO yesterday. However, this case is far from resolved." DI Nixon's voice cut through the team's murmurs.

"Great." Jo muttered under her breath, the realisation that she would be most probably spending the entire day with DC Osbourne again slapping her hard in the face.

The journey to the witness' house was in reality, approximately ten minutes. But for Jo, the time seemed to drag on for eternity. Eventually, they were parked outside the house, still sat in complete silence, when Jo decided to bite the bullet.

"What happened last night, Gemma?" The brunette detective asked, immediately sounding as if she was conducting an interview with her colleague.

"What do you mean?" Gemma replied, knowing full well what Jo was referring to but attempting to buy as much time as possible whilst she thought of a reasonable explanation.

"You know full well what I mean." Jo realised she had sounded much harsher than intended. "I'm sorry. I just need to know where I stand, if anywhere. Were you just harmlessly flirting with me and I took it as something more? If that's it, then I'm sorry."

Gemma took a moment to prepare her reply. "There's no need for you to be sorry, it was entirely my fault, really. I lead you on, which is what I wanted, but then for some reason I just couldn't handle the situation."

"So it's a, 'it's not you, it's me' situation then?" Jo was sure she felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach.

"No! Not at all." Gemma surprised herself and Jo with her exclamation. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am interested in you, Jo. But I just need more time. I really would like give us a go because I think we could be brilliant together."

Jo smiled, respectful of the blonde beauty's honesty as well as appreciative of her kind words. "I think we could be too. I'm willing to wait until you're ready, that's if you'd like me to?"

"Yeah, I'd like that. Thank you." Gemma gingerly placed her hand on Jo's thigh as a gesture of appreciation, a silent thank you for being so understanding, as both women smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello! I apologise for me not updating this any sooner! There will be more regular updates from me from now on, fingers crossed. I can't think all who have reviewed so far enough; PrincessHanHan, Scription Addict, A for Antechinus, smileeees, Contentious Infatuation, Syd, Kerry Anne Smith, Cougaredainme, Pink Lemons and EsmeCullensFaveDaughter. This chapter is for you all.**

Jo's radio crackled into life, interrupting the slightly awkward silence that had developed between the two women.

"Sierra Oscar from 275, I've got eyeball on the suspect heading on to the Cole Lane estate, wearing a black hoodie, jeans and trainers. He's heading North West towards the convenience store."

"Sierra Oscar 275 from DC Masters, show as dealing."

Gemma started the ignition immediately and the car sprung into life. The two detectives sped through the streets of Sun Hill in an attempt to track down the suspect. Jo tried to justify to herself the way she felt; a warm surge of happiness every time DC Osbourne caught her eye, yet at the same time she felt her heart had been ripped to pieces. The brunette detective began to subconsciously pick the skin around her nails as a whole mass of thoughts worked their way through her mind.

Gemma took a sideways glance at her colleague who appeared to be deep in thought. "You alright?" She decided it was time to bite the bullet and break the silence.

Jo was oblivious to the fact that Gemma had just spoken.

"Jo? Are you ok?" Gemma placed her hand gently over Jo's, causing her to jump a little and move her hand.

"Sorry, I really didn't mean to startle you." Gemma said almost in a whisper, feeling slightly hurt that Jo had snatched her hand away from hers so quickly.

"It's my fault, being in my own little world." Jo turned her head to face the blonde with a smile.

Gemma kept her eyes on the road. She knew she wasn't able to face looking into Jo's stunning eyes, the realisation dawning upon her that she may have made a wrong decision.

A few hours and several long and stressful interviews later, and the suspect had been charged. Jo and Gemma were gathering their belongings and getting ready to go home as they'd finished for the day.

"Nice work, ladies." Smithy gave a friendly nod as he passed the two detectives.

The two women walked together in the direction of the exit. As they neared their cars, there became an awkward pause.

"I'll er...see you tomorrow then Jo." Gemma really didn't want to part company with her colleague just yet though if she was being honest.

"Listen Gemma," Jo began, looking around to make sure no one else was listening in on their conversation, "I'm sorry about earlier, in the car you know."

"Oh it's fine."

"It's not fine; I really didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry."

"Honestly Jo, it's fine, ok?" The women shared a smile, which made both of their hearts melt.

"So...any plans for this evening?" Jo simply wanted to continue speaking to the beautiful blonde for as long as possible.

"Yeah there's a service at church at 7.30pm and after that I've got a line dancing class with my mum..." Gemma tried her hardest to keep a straight face but eventually erupted in fits of laughter.

Jo shook her head and tried to stifle her laughing. "You don't strike me as the religious type..."

"You're meant to say I don't strike you as the 'line dancing with your mum' type!"

"No comment!" The two women continued to laugh, realising how much they enjoyed each other's company.

"Seriously though, there's a bottle of red cooling in the fridge at mine as we speak. What do you think?" Jo asked.

"I think that would be lovely." Gemma grinned, a warm surge of happiness washing over her.

Both women unlocked their cars and opened the doors.

"I'll race you!" Jo winked.

"The loser buys the takeaway." Gemma replied.

"Deal!"

DC Masters parked her car in her usual space outside her house. A few seconds later, DC Osbourne pulled up in the space behind.

As the two ladies emerged from their vehicles, Jo called across to Gemma.

"I think it's fair to say dinner's on you!"

"I'll think about it!"

The brunette put the key in the lock and held open her front door, allowing Gemma to enter her house first.

"Welcome to my humble abode."

The blonde took a quick look around while standing in the hallway.

"Wow, nice place you've got here."

"Thanks. It's nothing special but I like it." Jo gave a self-satisfied smile. "Let me take your coat, make yourself at home and all that."

"Hostess with the mostess, eh?" Gemma raised her eyebrows in a flirty manner.

"Oh yeah, you'd better believe it!" Jo responded with an equally flirty remark.

DC Osbourne kicked her shoes off and placed them neatly next to Jo's.

"If you want to go through to the living room and make yourself comfy, I'll grab the wine and some glasses. Oh and I think I fancy a Chinese tonight, seeing as you're paying!"

"Cheeky sod!" Gemma laughed. "But definitely a good decision."

"I'll get a menu as well then. "

Jo went to the kitchen so Gemma took her advice and attempted to make herself at home, resting her aching feet on a footstool.

DC Masters entered the room, arms laden with goodies. She flung the menu at her colleague, like she was throwing a frisbee.

"Good catch."

"You're not too bad yourself..." Gemma used the opportunity to hint her true feelings to an unsuspecting Jo.

Taken aback by her colleague's choice of words, Jo paused momentarily in a stunned silence.

"Shall we order? I'm starving."

"Er yeah, sure." Jo didn't mean to react like she had, what she really wanted to do is pounce on Gemma there and then. Unfortunately, her morals and common sense kicked in at this point, kicking out the fantasy.

"Let me guess...chicken in lemon sauce?"

"Eh?" the brunette sat down on the sofa next to her colleague, repeatedly reminding herself to stay under control.

"What are you having? My guess is you're a lemon chicken kind of girl." Gemma laughed a little.

"I hope that's not your best chat up line!" Jo joined in with a laugh.

"I've got some cracking lines up my sleeve, me!"

"Don't keep me in suspense then, I'm dying to hear these corkers!"

"You'll have to wait and find out for yourself..." DC Osbourne threw her second flirty hint into the conversation.

Instead of freaking out like the first time, Jo responded in an equally flirty manner.

"Is that right?" she turned to face her colleague, resting her elbow on the top of the sofa and placing her head on her hand.

"Might be...might not." Gemma and Jo grinned simultaneously.

"You were spot on by the way." Jo replied.

"About what?"

"Lemon chicken. It's my absolute favourite." Jo tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Really? I'll have to add 'psychic' to my CV." Gemma joked.

"Beef chop suey."

"Excuse me?"

"I reckon you're a chop suey kind of girl." Jo let a giggle slip.

"Not a bad guess actually, I was thinking of going for a chop suey tonight. Seeing as it's one of the cheapest things on the menu and I'm paying!"

"I was only kidding Gemma; I don't mind paying, honestly." Jo smiled.

"No really, it'd be my pleasure." The blonde returned the smile.

An hour or so passed and the ladies had finished their meals.

"That was exceptionally good." Jo placed her cutlery on the side of the plate.

"Ah thanks babe, I spent all day slaving away for that!" Gemma giggled.

"Oi!" DC Masters picked up a nearby cushion and playfully hit an unsuspecting DC Osbourne.

"You almost knocked my prawn crackers flying!" Both the women fell into hysterics.

Gemma glanced across to the clock which was hanging on the wall adjacent to her.

"Is that the time? Tonight's flown by."

"You know what they say, time flies when you're having fun." The two ladies exchanged a flirtatious smile.

"I've had a really lovely evening, thank you." Gemma tentatively placed her hand on top of Jo's, their soft fingers beginning to automatically entwine.

"Me too. The evening doesn't have to end now though." Jo was desperate to stay in the beautiful blonde's company for as long as possible.

"I should really be getting back though, I start at 7am, and I need my beauty sleep." Gemma gave a faint smile, mentally kicking herself for even suggesting she didn't want to stay any longer.

"It would be impossible for you to be any more beautiful." Jo blurted out without thinking, regretting saying it as soon as she did. "Did I really just say that out loud?" She tried to mask what she'd said with humour. "God I'm terrible with this foot in mouth disease..."

The buxom brunette was interrupted by Gemma placing her lips firmly on hers. Jo accepted the kiss and responded with all the lust and passion she felt for this woman. She felt the blonde's fingers gently play with her hair, trace the contours of her face, and come to rest on her neck. The sensations she experienced were like nothing she'd ever felt before, causing her to sub-consciously release a quiet moan of appreciation.

The ladies mutually pulled away after a couple of minutes, and tried to catch their breath.

"Wow." Jo breathed, unable to speak.

The blonde responded with an unexpectedly girly giggle.

The two women gazed romantically into each other eyes, neither of them wanting to break the virtual contact.

Gemma gently placed her hand on Jo's knee.

"I really like you, Jo."

"Well that's a good start!" Jo couldn't resist the urge to make a light joke, concerned that Gemma was about to deliver a 'but...' after that last sentence.

"But..." Jo felt her heart sink to her stomach. "I need to know where I stand, where we both stand. I'd like to take things slowly...how does that sit with you?" Gemma was waiting for the knock back from her beautiful colleague.

Jo silently breathed a sigh of relief. "That sits absolutely fine with me, sweetheart." She replied, engulfing the vulnerable blonde with a hug whilst gently toying with her hair. "I don't care how long it takes, I'll wait for you."

The two women stayed locked in their embrace for a good couple of minutes, neither of them wanting to let go. Eventually Gemma broke the comfortable silence.

"I've had the most amazing evening with you, but I really should get going now, if that's ok?"

"Yeah of course it's ok babe, like I said, we'll take things as slow as you want to." DC Masters stood up, offering her colleague her hand to help her stand.

"Thank you, I mean that." Gemma smiled appreciatively.

"It's fine honestly. Now come on, let's get you out of here." Jo joked, choosing to throw some comedy into the conversation.

"Charming!" Gemma replied with a laugh, entering the hall to put on her shoes and coat.

"I don't want to push you but I do have a spare room upstairs, it's yours for tonight if you want it."

"Thank you for the offer but it's ok." The blonde placed her hand on Jo's arm as a small token of her gratitude.

"I'll see you in the morning then." Jo replied, respecting Gemma's decision.

"Not if I see you first!"

The two ladies enjoyed a mutual hug for one last time that evening. It was at that moment in particular where the realisation dawned upon Gemma that Jo wasn't like the other women she'd been with, she was really something special.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Jo smiled, watching the blonde's every movement as she left the house, got into her parked car and drove off into the night.

**Please R&R and I hope it was worth the wait! **


	4. Chapter 4

**Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed. Your thoughts mean a lot to me. This chapter is for all of you lovely people! Hope you enjoy it.**

DC Jo Masters awoke that morning with a grin plastered firmly on her face. If she was honest with herself, she couldn't remember the last time she had felt quite so ecstatic about anything, let alone going to work. She knew that burst of happiness was down to one thing, or more to the point, one woman in particular. Gemma Osbourne. If Jo was unsure of her feelings for the blonde, the way she wanted to jump for joy and hug every pedestrian she saw whilst making the short journey to work, was a sure confirmation that she was more than interested in Gemma.

DC Gemma Osbourne also awoke in an exceptionally good mood. Glancing at the time, she realised she was awake much earlier than usual. Unable to sleep any further, she got dressed and threw her hair into a ponytail before making her way to the station. The blonde arrived at Sun Hill station far too early to be considered normal. She remembered that if you turned up before 8.30am, or after 8.45am for a 9am start, everyone assumed something was wrong. She wasn't planning on allowing the gossip to start rolling so she decided to stay put in her car until the fifteen minute time slot arrived. The detective quickly flicked through the selection of radio stations. Finding nothing suitable, she switched the radio off before becoming consumed by her own thoughts. Gemma reminisced about her evening with Jo last night, she couldn't remember the last time she'd had such a wonderful night. The blonde recalled how petrified she was that her colleague would react badly to her proposition, feeling almost certain that Jo wouldn't be interested in the slow-developing relationship that she was asking for. Gemma smiled to herself, remembering how elated she'd felt when the brunette revealed she was more than happy to take things slowly. It was at that point that she knew that Jo Masters wasn't just another woman, she was something special.

Gemma's train of thought was interrupted by a tap on the window, causing her to jump slightly. The blonde turned to see the very woman she'd be thinking about standing next to the passenger side window, attempting to hold back laughter at Gemma's shocked reaction. The blonde wound down the window to speak to her lover.

"Do you make a habit of scaring women half to death?" DC Osbourne tried to maintain a straight face before erupting in a fit of giggles over the situation.

"Nah, only when it comes to you!" Jo responded, secretly relishing the sound of her girlfriend's laughter. "What are you doing sat in there anyway? Haven't you got a job to get to?" She continued the flirtatious banter.

"I didn't want to go in too early..." Gemma trailed off, glancing at the time.

"8.46! Jo, you could've said!" The blonde hastily turned the engine off before exiting her car and locking it.

"What do you mean? You've got plenty of time!" The blonde sped through the car park and made her way through the front entrance, up the stairs and into CID, dodging constables as she went. Jo followed, struggling to keep up with Gemma's pace despite having longer legs than her colleague, smiling to herself as she made a mental note of how sexy her girlfriend was when angry.

DC Masters reached CID, passing Gemma's desk on her way to her own. Jo desperately wanted to stop and speak to her girlfriend for a little longer but, respecting the blonde's wishes of taking things slowly, and not wanting to arouse suspicion from her colleagues, she resisted the urge.

Taking a quick look through the paperwork strategically piled on her desk, Jo looked up as she felt the presence of someone standing next to her. That someone was Mickey Webb, adorning a slightly smug grin.

"Can I help you DC Webb?"

"I think it's me that should be asking you that, DC Masters." Mickey checked the time on his watch, hinting at what the conversation would be regarding. "It's almost five to nine and you're only just in, something I should know about?" The detective constable cheekily questioned his colleague.

Gemma's eyes wandered across the room to where the conversation was taking place, shaking her head slightly as she recalled her thoughts on the 'fifteen-minute time slot.'

"Nope, nothing for you to know about." Jo played along. "Except for the fact that you should really consider getting one of those, oh what are they called? Oh yeah, a life!" The brunette responded playfully, wearing a smug grin similar to the one Mickey was sporting a few seconds ago. His look however had changed to embarrassment as his colleague outsmarted him, leaving him with no choice but to make his way back to his desk, hanging his head in shame as the rest of CID erupted in laughter.

Gemma and Jo exchanged a heartfelt smile, which went unnoticed by everyone else. The blonde was sure she could literally feel her heart strings tugging in her chest, while the brunette fought her feelings of lust and desire, knowing if she didn't she would have to ravish her lover there and then.

The two women were snapped out of their romantic trance with the voice of their superior bringing the busy office to a stand still.

"Morning everyone." DI Nixon began, hearing a mutual 'Morning Guv' in return.

"Mickey and Terry, I'd like you to continue working on the assault case from yesterday." The two men groaned while Jo stifled a laugh at her colleague's expense, knowing how dull the case was.

"Grace, Max, if you two could work on that robbery that came in this morning," Both detectives nodded. "And Gemma, Jo, if I could have a word with you both in my office?" Mickey reciprocated Jo's laugh as the two women cautiously followed Sam into the DI's office.

The detectives hovered nervously around the desk, both having no idea why they had been called in by the DI.

"Take a seat." Sam smiled, doing the same. "It's nothing negative, don't worry." Gemma and Jo simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. "I just wanted to say well done for yesterday's result, I think you two work really well together." They looked towards each other, with a mutual nod and smile. "So well, I'd like you two to work together again today."

Jo sighed. As much as she'd love to spend all the time in the world with the beautiful blonde, she wasn't sure she could handle the level of professionalism she'd have to display in order to keep their relationship under wraps. The brunette didn't know how much longer she could cope with the uncomfortable silences that developed through being in such an awkward situation; having to act as if she and Gemma were just colleagues was almost heart breaking for the detective. If Jo was going to have to deal with this pressure, would it compromise her abilities as an officer? Would she be forced into making the shattering decision between her job and her lover?


	5. Chapter 5

**Firstly, I'd like to apologise for the inconsistency between chapters 3 and 3 says Gemma's shift begins at 7am but chapter 4 says 9am so I apologise for the confusion. Secondly, thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed! I hope this update doesn't disappoint. **

DC Osbourne hauled the uncooperative delinquent in the direction of the custody desk, with some assistance from her lover as well as Sergeant Smith who was manning the desk for the day.

"We'll leave you to deal with him, have fun!" Gemma joked with her superior after reeling off the criminal's details and charges. Smithy nodded in return, completing the necessary forms and leading the man into a vacant cell.

Jo turned in the direction of the corridor to head back to CID, paused for a second then changed route, exiting the station through the doors to Custody and leaning against a cold brick wall in the Sun Hill Yard.

Her fellow DC had stopped for a few minutes to talk to one of the Custody officers, one of her old colleagues from her previous stint at the station. Once the conversation had ended, she turned around, expecting to see Jo waiting for her nearby. Concerned that her girlfriend was nowhere to be seen, she turned back towards Smithy who nodded his head to indicate Jo was outside.

Gemma found her partner propped against the wall, deep in thought.

"Jo, are you alright?" She tentatively placed her hand on Jo's bicep. After receiving no reply from the brunette, Gemma moved so she was standing directly in front of her. Jo was brought back to Earth by the sound of her lover's voice.

"Hmm? Me, yeah, I'm fine." The buxom woman smiled, but without meaning.

"Come on Jo, I know you better than that. What's up?" The blonde attempted to coax more information out of her.

"It isn't the time or place to talk." Jo responded, sounding a little brusquer than she had intended to.

"Fine," Gemma retaliated in a similar tone. "Come with me." She headed towards the parking space her car was occupying.

Confused, Jo followed, taking large strides to catch up. "Where?"

"We've got those leads to follow up, remember?" The blonde lifted her eyebrows, hoping Jo would catch on.

The two women smiled simultaneously as the got into the car and drove away from the station.

"Where are we going?"

"I was thinking that little cafe on the High Street, you know the one with the blue sign?" Gemma replied, her eyes flicking between the road and her passenger as she spoke.

"Right..."

"Our suspect happens to work there!" The blonde winked as she erupted with laughter.

"Does he? That's handy!" Jo smirked, her mood lifting slightly as she played along.

Several minutes later, the two detectives arrived at the small cafe. Relieved to find the place practically deserted, they took their seats opposite each other at the table furthest away from the other customers. An awkward silence dawned on the lovers; Jo's eyes fell to the floor, finding the ground interesting all of a sudden as Gemma casually browsed through the menu, waiting for their coffees to arrive. The two women smiled appreciatively at the young waitress who brought their drinks to the table, wordlessly thanking her for the coffee as well as for breaking the uncomfortable silence. The blonde realised she was going to have to speak first if she wanted some answers from her partner.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong or am I going to have to buy you a butty as well?" Gemma broke the ice with a smile.

"Well if you're offering..." Jo responded with humour, the way she always did in situations like this.

"Seriously Jo, what's up?"

The brunette paused, her index finger tracing the rim of the mug absentmindedly as she gathered her thoughts to form a reply.

"I can't do this." She spoke softly.

"Do what?"

"This. Us."

"Oh." DC Osbourne was stunned, at a loss for words.

"I can't work so closely with you on a daily basis without people knowing. I can't pretend that we're just colleagues and friends, it's killing me Gemma."

The blonde felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach at her girlfriend's confession. She knew she was swiftly falling in love with Jo and she couldn't bear to lose her. On receiving no verbal reply from Gemma, Jo continued.

"I really do like you, a lot, that's why it's too damn hard to keep it quiet. I understand why you don't want people to know and I do respect your decision but I just can't do it. I'm sorry." Jo rose from the table, her coffee untouched, and headed for the door, leaving a distraught Gemma sat alone.


	6. Chapter 6

**A big thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story, I really do appreciate it. This is the last chapter with our lovely ladies but I may consider writing more Gemma/Jo pieces if you'd like me to. Enjoy.**

The blonde froze momentarily, feeling as if she'd just been punched in the stomach as the woman she loved walked away from her. Snapping out of the trance she'd fallen in to, Gemma followed Jo, jogging a little to meet her pace.

"Jo! Jo, wait, please."

The beautiful brunette paused, but didn't turn around. Gemma stood in front of her, slightly breathless from having to catch up.

"Jo." DC Osbourne placed both her hands on her girlfriend's arms, their faces mere centimetres apart, in an attempt to figure out what was running through her mind. Jo shrugged off Gemma's touch, finding it too difficult to bear.

"Can we talk about this? Please. Come back to the car with me and we'll talk things over, yeah?" The blonde desperately tried to prevent her lover falling through her fingertips.

"I think I said everything I wanted to say before." Jo spoke quietly, revealing no emotion.

"Well I haven't." Gemma replied, simply. "Give me the chance to tell you how I feel. If you decide you want to end things after that then... then fine."

DC Masters met her colleague's eyes for the first time since their altercation.

"Ok." She replied, so softly that it was barely audible, and began to make her way back to the car.

Gemma followed, keeping a step or so behind her partner to allow her space, as well as to allow herself the opportunity to gather her thoughts before she gave her speech. She mentally said a few word to the big man in the sky, not that she was sure he was even there, but right now she needed all the help she could get.

DC Osbourne unlocked the vehicle and the two women took up the position they'd been sat in not so long ago. An uncomfortable silence filled the air as Jo absentmindedly stared out of the passenger window and Gemma's eyes fell to her hands which she was wringing nervously in her lap.

"Well?" The curvaceous detective eventually broke the ice.

"You said you like me," Gemma began. "a lot."

"I do like you."

"I like you too, Jo. I really, really like you." The blonde glanced over to the woman sitting in the passenger seat, trying to gauge her reaction. Jo's face told her nothing. "But if you like me as much as you say you do, why are you throwing it all away?"

"I told you why." Jo returned her girlfriend's glance, feeling her heart shatter as she looked into those heart-warming hazel eyes Gemma possessed.

"I thought we had something special Jo, I really did."

"We did. We do." DC Osbourne felt a flicker of hope at the use of the present tense. "I can't work this closely with you on a daily basis and still stay completely professional. I'm not saying I want shouting from the rooftops or public displays of affection, what I'm saying is that I want to be just a little bit more open about us. Even if we just tell the DI, maybe a couple of people we trust, it'd take the pressure off of my shoulders a bit. I constantly worry that I'm going to trip myself up. I worry that if I talk to you too much, people will make assumptions, but if I don't talk to you enough, it'll look like I'm avoiding you." Jo sighed, and took a deep breath. "Gemma, we're both openly gay, single women who work very closely together – tongues are probably already wagging."

The blonde DC's eyes lay fixed on her lap, her mind absorbing every word. Subconsciously, she gently bit her lip as she thought over what her girlfriend had said.

"I understand. But then, you said you understood when I wanted to take our relationship slowly."

"I do understand and I respect you for that, hence why I have kept things under wraps. But you've got to understand how I feel too."

Gemma nodded slightly. "I admit it has been hard working with you every day, making sure not to give anything away."

"That's exactly what I mean. You know how much I value my career, and I know you're keen to impress now you're a DC, and the last thing I want is for either of us to compromise our positions by concentrating more on keeping up appearances than doing our job. Besides, our colleagues aren't in CID for decoration you know, they'll work it out sooner or later."

"Yeah well, I'd rather it was later." Gemma retorted.

"Well I'd rather they heard the truth straight from the horse's mouth!" DC Masters realised she sounded harsher than intended. "Sorry."

A few awkward moments of deafening silence passed.

"Don't be sorry. You're right." Gemma faced her lover.

"Really?" Jo couldn't help but sound surprised. If she was expecting to hear a reply, it certainly wasn't that.

"I understand where you're coming from. Perhaps it's a little sooner than I'd have liked to tell people, but I care about you too much to let you go."

The brunette gently placed her hand on her partner's knee, her thumb stroking the blonde's leg. A tear escaped from Gemma's eye, the tender action and the relief that Jo was staying, overwhelming her.

"Hey, don't cry sweetheart." DC Masters carefully wiped away the tear from her cheek before it spilled on to her lap.

"I thought I'd lost you before I even really had you." Gemma admitted, reciprocating Jo's touch by placing her free hand on her girlfriend's which was still resting on her thigh.

"Well, what you said about caring for me, I care about you too Gemma. Just don't go spreading that around CID, I don't want Mickey and Terry queuing up for care and..."

Gemma pressed her lips firmly against Jo's, pulling her into a passionate embrace. The two women poured all the emotion they felt for each other into the kiss. The brunette released a soft moan, allowing her girlfriend's tongue to probe at her slightly parted lips. Their tongues met as Gemma's fought for access to Jo's mouth, causing the couple to moan simultaneously. DC Masters snaked an arm around her partner's neck, her fingers wrapping in her soft locks. Gemma smirked to herself as her fingers playfully traced patterns on Jo's thigh, relishing in her lover's sighs as the blonde imagined the effect the gentle touches were having on her.

Jo pulled away slowly, knowing if she didn't she'd have to ravish the sexy detective there and then, planting one last, lingering kiss on Gemma's lips.

"Wow." The brunette whispered, trying to catch her breath.

The blonde giggled, the cute giggle that Jo adored. The beautiful couple sat in silence for a few minutes, but this time the quiet was more than comfortable.

"By the way," Jo began, clicking her seatbelt into place while Gemma started the car engine. "Bagsy I'm telling Mickey, I can't wait to see the look on his face!"


End file.
